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About 500 plush dogs and cats are spread out with help from Lackawanna County Sheriff’s Department Cpl. Corey Cavalieri on Thursday at the Aaron Center in Dickson City, with more stuffed animals to be donated in the next few weeks.
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On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Joseph P. McDonald manned the switchboard at Fort Shafter in Hawaii when he received the alarming message that radar had detected a large number of planes approaching from the north, heading fast for Oahu.
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John E. Stambaugh, the driver who prosecutors said was drunk when he caused a fatal accident on Halloween in October 2012 in Deer Lake, is headed to state prison after being sentenced Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court.

However, he did not leave the courtroom before receiving a tongue-lashing from a woman injured in the wreck at routes 61 and 895 that claimed the life of Sharon Barney, who had been a passenger in Stambaugh's vehicle.

Stambaugh, 51, of Scranton, pleaded no contest to homicide by vehicle, accident involving death or personal injury, driving under the influence, driving without a license, disregarding traffic lanes, failure to drive at a safe speed and reckless driving and four counts of recklessly endangering another person and guilty to driving under suspension.

Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin accepted Stambaugh's plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, sentenced him to serve 55 months to 120 months in a state correctional institution, perform 250 hours community service, submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities and pay costs, $1,650 in fines, $300 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, $79.25 restitution to a laboratory - and $108,390.62 restitution to the Zimmerman family.

As part of their agreement with Stambaugh, prosecutors withdrew three counts of aggravated assault, two of aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, two additional counts of recklessly endangering another person and one each of homicide by vehicle while DUI and careless driving.

By pleading no contest, Stambaugh did not admit committing the crimes, but offered no defense to them, agreed prosecutors had sufficient evidence to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and agreed to be sentenced as if he had been pleaded or been found guilty.

"I have no memory of the actual accident," Stambaugh said in explaining why he pleaded no contest instead of guilty.

Barney, 59, of Old Forge, was thrown from Stambaugh's car and died, while Cody and Kelly Zimmerman, their sons, Andrew and Ryder, and Stambaugh suffered injuries in the crash, police said.

Stambaugh had a blood alcohol level of 0.17 percent, according to police; the legal limit for driving in Pennsylvania is 0.08 percent.

The defendant's explanation for why he pleaded no contest did not satisfy Cindy Zimmerman.

"Man up and take responsibility for your actions," she said. "My sons have to pass the accident scene every day."

Kelly Zimmerman said Andrew, her older son, has been particularly affected by the accident.

"How do I explain to him that you killed one of your friends and won't even take responsibility for that?" Kelly Zimmerman said. "I hope no mother has to explain to her son every morning that he will safely make it to school."

Assistant Public Defender Michael A. O'Pake, Stambaugh's lawyer, declined to comment on the case after the sentencing.

Assistant District Attorney James P. Flagella said the case is a classic example of how DUI can hurt many people.

"It's a shame how the drunk driving can devastate families, and it's an unfortunate circumstance for the whole community," he said.Defendant: John E. Stambaugh

Age: 51

Residence: Scranton

Plea: No contest to homicide by vehicle, accident involving death or personal injury, driving under the influence, driving without a license, disregarding traffic lane, failure to drive at a safe speed and reckless driving, and four counts of recklessly endangering another person, and guilty to driving under suspension

Prison sentence: 55 months to 120 months in a state correctional institution

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